Since its introduction to San-Francisco in the mid-19th century, Chinese food has been popular among Americans for decades, for people of different cultures to enjoy. Good Chinese takeout is delicious, affordable, and preferably authentic. For a fresh new restaurant with tens across the board in each of these categories, look no further than Tigawok in Burbank.
Ever since its opening last year in Sawtelle Japantown, Los Angeles, Tigawok has been trending on social media, with many people praising it for its taste and affordability. Since then, it has opened two more locations, with the newest one being in Burbank, allowing Clark students to see if the food is worth the hype (spoiler alert: it doesn’t disappoint).
The dishes on the menu are wide-ranging, from sweet and sour pork and orange peel chicken to wagyu mapo tofu and sweet tomato and scrambled eggs. The pepper kurobuta pork is a fan favorite, and for good reason. Its use of Sichuan peppercorns has a numbing effect that feels rare in takeout places like this one, and the flavorful pork is sure to complement whichever base the customer chooses. For the base, customers have a choice of white or fried rice, chow mein, or white rice with wagyu and kurobuta pork.
(Lila Browne)
No matter the dish, everything is full of flavor, with nothing being too filling, considering the small-bowl concept for which Tigawok is famous. “Everything tastes fresh and well-seasoned, the long lines move quickly, and you’ll probably have enough food for lunch the next day,” journalist Garret Snyder at Infatuation food reviews said. Snyder was referring to the sharing culture of Tigawok, since patrons can order from many small bowls to share amongst the family.
Each dish is shockingly affordable, with the prices of some entrees being as low as $3.99, and contributes to the culture of “family-style” cuisine. This is also especially important considering the rising cost of food, and allows Clark students – or any student, for that matter – to enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine without worrying about paying high prices.
These low prices are mainly due to each dish being cooked by machines to ensure that the high-quality meals are consistent every time. This allows employees to focus on things like customer service, sanitation, and efficiency, all of which the restaurant excels in. “You can tell the team at Tigawok takes pride in the food and guest experience,” Lini Lidych, a journalist at Food Life Magazine, noted.
With the cost of food rising, authentic, high-quality food is getting less and less accessible. Tigawok brings new, fresh flavors to the general public, all the while incorporating new technology to create the best customer experience possible. Altogether, it’s not a place to miss.
